About Us

A clade is a group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants, a single “branch” on the tree of life. Since my mom taught me how to crochet, it was in keeping with a family theme.

CLADE is also an acronym for Adama’s full name.

Hence it was the perfect name for my new business. CLADE Crochet began as a hobby – I have been crocheting for many years and spent every winter making scarves as gifts for my husband’s employees. When someone suggested I try selling the scarves, I did so. I found my niche market when I created my first scarf for my new dog Adama, one to match the scarf I had made for my husband earlier. Adama, only 14 pounds, was often cold and I decided to make him something to keep him warm.
From there, the crafts grew into a small business. I began to experiment with new patterns and discovered the fun in creating high quality, hand crafted toys for dogs, cats and kids. I also became involved in a project to design and create clothes for Sock Monkeys, which were donated to children under CPS (Child Protective Services) custody. Proceeds from my sales continue to be put towards this project.

As a former teacher in a low-income school district, I encountered many children facing a variety of hardships. At one point, I had a student who was removed from my classroom by CPS. Seeing the turmoil this sudden change brought to the children, it strengthened my passion for helping children in need. When a friend approached me about contributing to the Sock Monkey project, I quickly agreed. I enjoyed getting to outfit the monkeys, making fun accessories and clothes so the children who were put into protective custody would have a lovey they could play with during those challenging times.